Rangers-Canadiens: The first thing that jumps out is the goaltending match-up pitting New York’s Henrik Lundqvist against Montreal’s Carey Price. The two opposed each other on the Olympic stage in Sochi when Price led Canada to a 3-0 gold-medal win over King Henry and Sweden. Neither side will admit it, but both have to be happy and feel a little fortunate to meet as Original Six franchises for the 15th time in the playoffs and first since 1996. Montreal rallied from a 3-2 deficit to bounce favored Boston while New York went one better, coming back from down 3-1 against Pittsburgh. Now, in two weeks, one of these teams will be playing for the Stanley Cup. Defenseman P.K. Subban has been the most visible star during these East playoffs and he’ll be a key again for Montreal. New York has rallied around heart-broken veteran Martin St. Louis, who lost his mother on the eve of Game 5 in the previous round. The feeling here is new, untapped heroes will emerge to be the difference as Canada’s lone entrant will find a way to get past the Rangers in six games and put itself in position for a 25th Stanley Cup.

Kings-Blackhawks: Los Angeles was banged up and mentally whipped after battling St. Louis for six games and San Jose for seven to reach Round 3 last season. It showed as Chicago was superior in all aspects and needed only five games to springboard into the finals. This time around, while the Kings have been missing key defensemen Robin Regehr and Willie Mitchell, they don’t seem as banged up despite needing Game 7 wins in San Jose and Anaheim to advance. The reduced travel, especially in Round 2, may have helped, but the Kings are definitely going to be jumping into Round 3 in a hurry, playing Game 1 in Chicago less than 48 hours after finishing off the Ducks with travel from SoCal to the midwest sandwiched between. The ‘Hawks, meanwhile, aren’t thinking about a third Cup in five years quite yet, but it’s not too far in the distance either. Late-season injuries to Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane appear well in the past now. Toews has been Captain Clutch as usual, and he’ll try to lead the way again. But something tells me the Kings are going to find a way again. They’re just so used to winning regardless of adversity and they’ll find a way to do it again — hello Jonathan Quick — this time in six.